March 5, 2012 Coats Museum News
Today’s column brings to a close our tribute to Black History Month by sharing the history of the African-American schools and churches in the Grove area as recorded in “The Heritage of Coats, North Carolina” (2005) and from the interviews and research of Peggy Robinson who traces her family to the Coats area.
Located on the corner of Hwy #27 and Chic Ennis Road between Coats and Benson is the Coats Church of God of Prophecy. Founders of this church were Bishop Frank L. and First Lady Willa Taylor. In June of 1987, at 104 North Orange Street in Coats, North Carolina, the church was founded with five charter members. The building was a small, two-room, one bathroom house that was reconstructed for worship.
“The Heritage of Coats, North Carolina” recorded that the founding couple went out into the community seeking membership which increased remarkably after much prayer. The small building was soon overflowing with members, friends and visitors. The founders then began to look for property on which to build a new facility. The result of the search led them to the current site of the church. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in 1997 and after construction in May 1998, there was 5400 square feet of worship space.
In 2005, the church held 100 members on most Sundays. The future vision of the church members was to add a gymnasium, a daycare, and parsonage.
At about the same time that the Coats Church of God of Prophecy was established, another church named Deliverance Church was being organized in September of 1988 under the leadership of founder and pastor, Bishop S.L. Carney and co-pastor Doris Carney. The first service was held in the Carney home. Doris Carney suggested the church be called Deliverance. The church attendance outgrew Bishop Carney’s house so they moved into a Fuquay community building. After some time, the praises of God moved them into a store on Main Street in Fuquay. On January 1, 1994, still praising God and keeping the vision, it became a reality when they were able to build their present place of praise and worship which is located at the corner of Hwy NC55 East and Old Stage Road. Still keeping the vision, they have completed a new fellowship hall and parking lot. In 2005, Deliverance Church had the following active auxiliaries: the Men and Women Fellowship, Usher Board, DC Mass, Junior Choir, Gospel Chorus, Male Choir, Praise Team, Pastor’s Aid, Mother’s Board, Deacon Board, Trustee Board, Mission Department, Nursing Home Ministry, Youth Fellowship, Hospitality Committee and Food Bank.
Church historian Sister Jacqueline Thompson wrote that in 2005, God had allowed them to remodel the sanctuary, cover the pews, add chandeliers and carpet, remodel the pastor’s study, add a sound room and purchase a new church bus.
Did you say “Wow” as you read about the two churches?
Read on. In 2005, when the Coats Museum Historical Committee published “The Heritage of Coats, North Carolina”, Anne McKoy wrote for the book that the St. Luke AME Zion Church was established on 98 North Orange Street in Coats around 1870. Was it called Coats in 1870?
Anne stated that a group of African American families got together and built the small church so they could have some place to worship the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It was believed that the church was built on the property of Melissa McKoy.
Familiar family names that you might recognize who attended the church are Cromartie, Rowland, McKoy, Matthews, and Jones. The names of many pastors of the church were remembered but some first names could not be recalled. Names of pastors listed were Reverends L.B. Russell, George Tharrington, Jr., Beebee, White, McLaurin, Nathaniel McNeill, J.D. Ray, J.A. Boyd, Warren Pearson, Washington, Leroy Smith, Kenneth Swann, and Fitzgerald Lee, Sr.
Ms. Anne McKoy, secretary of the church, credited Rev. Leroy Smith wit h helping to research the origin of the church. She stated that the pastor at the time of her writing the church history was Rev. Fitzgerald Lee who was a positive force in the church’s increase in membership, church activities, financial base, and spirituality. The church continued to grow on the original site on Orange Street where most of the members are the descendants of the original families of the church.
Did you notice that the church was established when Harnet t County was only fifteen years old and that the Civil War was barely over? Can you imagine the stories that could have been told by those original members of the Lt. Luke AME Zion Church?
Surely there are other African American churches in the Grove area in 2012. If so, we encourage the each church secretary or historian to write the history and share it with the Coats Museum so the museum folks can add it into their immense collection of histories of the churches located in the Coats and Grove area.
The folks at the Coats Museum continue to assist Peggy Robinson in her goal to publish a book on the African American Heritage in the Grove area. The event will be held on the Coats Heritage Square on Saturday, March 24, 2012 beginning at 1:00 p.m. with speakers and music until 3:00 after which tours and information on how to submit family stories and information for the African American Heritage Book. Look for fliers sharing more details about the event in your churches and local businesses. Don’t depend on someone else to preserve your family’s story.
I hope that you have learned much and have enjoyed the columns on African American history. Next week, the column will resume the chronological happenings of the Coats and Grove area in 1926. Read about one of the area’s most prominent businessmen and politicians from 1918 to the late 1920’s. Learn the status of a road that will connect the towns from Erwin to Angier to the Wake County line. Who was the mayor of Coats in 1926?
Drive by the Coats Museum and see how fast the Exhibit Hall is being constructed to house the many artifacts of the families in the Coats and surrounding areas. Don’t forget you can support the project by remembering loved ones with a donation to the project.
Please be mindful that this Coats Museum News was published in the daily Record on March 5, 2012.
Today’s column brings to a close our tribute to Black History Month by sharing the history of the African-American schools and churches in the Grove area as recorded in “The Heritage of Coats, North Carolina” (2005) and from the interviews and research of Peggy Robinson who traces her family to the Coats area.
Located on the corner of Hwy #27 and Chic Ennis Road between Coats and Benson is the Coats Church of God of Prophecy. Founders of this church were Bishop Frank L. and First Lady Willa Taylor. In June of 1987, at 104 North Orange Street in Coats, North Carolina, the church was founded with five charter members. The building was a small, two-room, one bathroom house that was reconstructed for worship.
“The Heritage of Coats, North Carolina” recorded that the founding couple went out into the community seeking membership which increased remarkably after much prayer. The small building was soon overflowing with members, friends and visitors. The founders then began to look for property on which to build a new facility. The result of the search led them to the current site of the church. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in 1997 and after construction in May 1998, there was 5400 square feet of worship space.
In 2005, the church held 100 members on most Sundays. The future vision of the church members was to add a gymnasium, a daycare, and parsonage.
At about the same time that the Coats Church of God of Prophecy was established, another church named Deliverance Church was being organized in September of 1988 under the leadership of founder and pastor, Bishop S.L. Carney and co-pastor Doris Carney. The first service was held in the Carney home. Doris Carney suggested the church be called Deliverance. The church attendance outgrew Bishop Carney’s house so they moved into a Fuquay community building. After some time, the praises of God moved them into a store on Main Street in Fuquay. On January 1, 1994, still praising God and keeping the vision, it became a reality when they were able to build their present place of praise and worship which is located at the corner of Hwy NC55 East and Old Stage Road. Still keeping the vision, they have completed a new fellowship hall and parking lot. In 2005, Deliverance Church had the following active auxiliaries: the Men and Women Fellowship, Usher Board, DC Mass, Junior Choir, Gospel Chorus, Male Choir, Praise Team, Pastor’s Aid, Mother’s Board, Deacon Board, Trustee Board, Mission Department, Nursing Home Ministry, Youth Fellowship, Hospitality Committee and Food Bank.
Church historian Sister Jacqueline Thompson wrote that in 2005, God had allowed them to remodel the sanctuary, cover the pews, add chandeliers and carpet, remodel the pastor’s study, add a sound room and purchase a new church bus.
Did you say “Wow” as you read about the two churches?
Read on. In 2005, when the Coats Museum Historical Committee published “The Heritage of Coats, North Carolina”, Anne McKoy wrote for the book that the St. Luke AME Zion Church was established on 98 North Orange Street in Coats around 1870. Was it called Coats in 1870?
Anne stated that a group of African American families got together and built the small church so they could have some place to worship the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It was believed that the church was built on the property of Melissa McKoy.
Familiar family names that you might recognize who attended the church are Cromartie, Rowland, McKoy, Matthews, and Jones. The names of many pastors of the church were remembered but some first names could not be recalled. Names of pastors listed were Reverends L.B. Russell, George Tharrington, Jr., Beebee, White, McLaurin, Nathaniel McNeill, J.D. Ray, J.A. Boyd, Warren Pearson, Washington, Leroy Smith, Kenneth Swann, and Fitzgerald Lee, Sr.
Ms. Anne McKoy, secretary of the church, credited Rev. Leroy Smith wit h helping to research the origin of the church. She stated that the pastor at the time of her writing the church history was Rev. Fitzgerald Lee who was a positive force in the church’s increase in membership, church activities, financial base, and spirituality. The church continued to grow on the original site on Orange Street where most of the members are the descendants of the original families of the church.
Did you notice that the church was established when Harnet t County was only fifteen years old and that the Civil War was barely over? Can you imagine the stories that could have been told by those original members of the Lt. Luke AME Zion Church?
Surely there are other African American churches in the Grove area in 2012. If so, we encourage the each church secretary or historian to write the history and share it with the Coats Museum so the museum folks can add it into their immense collection of histories of the churches located in the Coats and Grove area.
The folks at the Coats Museum continue to assist Peggy Robinson in her goal to publish a book on the African American Heritage in the Grove area. The event will be held on the Coats Heritage Square on Saturday, March 24, 2012 beginning at 1:00 p.m. with speakers and music until 3:00 after which tours and information on how to submit family stories and information for the African American Heritage Book. Look for fliers sharing more details about the event in your churches and local businesses. Don’t depend on someone else to preserve your family’s story.
I hope that you have learned much and have enjoyed the columns on African American history. Next week, the column will resume the chronological happenings of the Coats and Grove area in 1926. Read about one of the area’s most prominent businessmen and politicians from 1918 to the late 1920’s. Learn the status of a road that will connect the towns from Erwin to Angier to the Wake County line. Who was the mayor of Coats in 1926?
Drive by the Coats Museum and see how fast the Exhibit Hall is being constructed to house the many artifacts of the families in the Coats and surrounding areas. Don’t forget you can support the project by remembering loved ones with a donation to the project.
Please be mindful that this Coats Museum News was published in the daily Record on March 5, 2012.